Question: Simplify the following expression: ${-(14-3a)-8(a-1)}$
Answer: The minus sign in front of the parentheses means we multiply each term inside the first parentheses by ${-1}$ $ {-1(}\gray{14-3a}{)} - 8(a-1) $ $ {-14+3a} - 8(a-1) $ Distribute the ${-8}$ into the parentheses: $ -14+3a {-8(}\gray{a-1}{)} $ $ -14+3a {-8a+8} $ Rewrite the expression to group the ${a}$ terms and numeric terms: $ {3a - 8a} {-14 + 8}$ Combine the ${a}$ terms: $ {-5a} {-14 + 8}$ Combine the numeric terms: $ {-5a} {-6}$ The simplified expression is $-5a-6$